The Oriole Community Garden, located at 2800 Don Mills Road, is an important initiative supported by the Working Women Community Centre (WWCC). It was established in 2005 in collaboration with Advent Lutheran Church and receives funding from the City of Toronto’s Food Security Investment Program and United Way.
The garden serves as a vibrant and welcoming space for over 100 families in the Peanut neighbourhood, many of whom are newcomers to Canada. It provides free access to 145 garden plots (3’ x 5’) for families living in nearby high‑density apartment buildings in Ward 33, specifically in the Sheppard and Don Mills area, where opportunities to grow fresh food are limited. The garden enables families to grow their own vegetables, herbs, and flowers, promoting food security and community engagement.
Each year, 145 families are assigned individual garden plots from May to September. WWCC prepares the plots before the gardening season begins. Tool sheds are available for gardeners to borrow tools for daytime use, though participants are also welcome to bring their own.
Before and during the gardening season, WWCC offers free gardening workshops. Sessions run for 1.5 to 2 hours and accommodate 20–25 participants. The workshops are open to anyone interested in gardening, not only Oriole Community Garden members, and participants receive free handouts. Sessions are held either at the WWCC office at 5 Fairview Mall Drive, Suite #478, or at the Oriole Community Garden, depending on the topic and facilitator preference.
At the end of the gardening season, on the last Friday in September, a Harvest Festival is held. During this event, gardeners, along with their families, friends, and WWCC guests, come together to celebrate with games, prizes, and various activities. Following the festival, gardeners are expected to clean their plots and return them to the same condition in which they were provided at the beginning of the season.
